This invention relates generally to an apparatus and method for manipulating an object or workpiece in a space environment. More specifically, the present invention relates to a robotic manipulator which uses the magnetic attraction of various metals to grasp and release objects.
Advanced space projects will require various structures to be constructed in space. For advanced projects such as exploring the planets or building a space station, there will be a need for cargo boxes and other building supplies to be used and manipulated in space. Construction techniques that minimize the amount of time and number of people needed to perform the construction will best serve this need.
Much of this construction requires only a simple grasp and release technique of the objects to be manipulated or constructed. Current designs for grasping such objects for positioning or retrieval employ a dexterous hand. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,921,293, discloses a robotic hand having a plurality of fingers. While this hand provides several degrees of freedom and allows for complex manipulations, it may be complex and excessive for simple grasp and release processes.
Simpler grasp and release devices however, can also be somewhat complex. U.S. Pat. No. 4,921,292 discloses a magnetic attachment mechanism that interfaces with a manipulator arm of a robot to grasp and release objects in space using magnetic attraction forces. Permanent magnets in a stator-rotor relationship enable an on and an off position to attract or repel the object to be grasped. The object to be grasped includes a ferrous plate of magnetic material as well as a guide means cooperable with a guide means on the attachment mechanism to guide the magnet to the object to be grasped. Since permanent magnets are employed, even in the off position there are still magnetic attraction forces so the arm must be pulled away from the object being grasped.
Simple grasp and release manipulations may be better discharged by a less complex means requiring less sophisticated hardware and less skill and training to operate.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus capable of simply grasping and releasing objects in a space environment.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a space-based manipulator which minimizes the amount of time and the number of people needed to perform grasp and release operations on objects in space.
Yet a further object of the present invention is to provide electromagnetic manipulating means which exploits the gravitational forces in space.